A miracle, well I think so.

My middle name is impulsive, so last summer I decided it was vital I had a container pond. I did as much research as I felt I needed; ie none. I knew I needed a practice before I bought a swanky container so I filled a small plastic plant pot with rain water, some stones from my stone collection, a marginal plant and an oxygenating plant to keep the water clear. I loved it during the summer but it became clear the marginal wasn't happy and the the oxygenating plant was almost dead.

My interest waned and over winter it froze, even with a little platic ball in it! It completely dried out over this first bit of warm sun. I definitely no longer had an oxygenating plant.

I put the marginal in the bird bath last month where for some reason it flourished and flowered profusely.

Today I had a little inspection of the newly rain filled neglected pot. It is teeming with life...fabulous...I appreciate much of the life I see will be mosquitos soon, however there are also little beetles darting about and, my favourite, water snails roaming around the debris. I have no idea where the snails have come from but there are at least half a dozen.

What I am certain of is that Mother Nature always has the last laugh, I will have a container poond whether I like it or not...Good job I like it!

Same has happened in my garden - my container pond is a large plastic flower pot approx 1m deep X0.50 high. Its sunken a bit and has large boulders and stones around it for decoration and to encourage wildlife. Put in in 2 year ago and it is teaming with plants, snails, various insects and this year I even have tadpoles!! It is so simple and easy to do - a great project with great benefit for wildlife.

Well, the same thing has happened to me this year. Sealed up my Belfast sink and put a load of stones at the bottom then left it. Its filled with rain water and now has life in it. No plants but lots of things swimming in it and the birds love it

Hi. A similar story ref the wonders of Nature or Ma as i call her. - this about a Crocus. I had a whole area planted with the common little (sp) Tomas.... and this bed having finished flowering I cut off all the dead foliage in due course and very lightly with a hand fork tiffled over the surface - left it at that. The next Spring at flowering time there on the surface was about a third of a tiny corm and with a tiny perfect flower just laying out on the surface after all the winter. Thought that was pretty wonderful also.